Based on the U-2 strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed in the 1950s, NASA built and used two high-altitude ER-2 (Earth Resources 2) aircraft to study the atmosphere and related phenomena.
These aircraft are capable of flying at altitudes of 18,000 metres and have completed more than 4,500 missions, including ozone layer research and testing new satellite sensors.
Since September 2023, an ER-2 aircraft has been mobilized to participate in the GEMx (Geological Earth Mapping Experiment) mission, conducted together with the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The mission's goal is to use high technology to search for hidden mineral reserves in the desert, which are extremely important to electronics manufacturing, the US economy , and have direct implications for national security.
“The United States depends on a reliable supply of rare earth minerals to support our economy and ensure our national security,” said USGS geophysicist Raymond Kokali. “The untapped strategic mineral deposits in the United States require advanced geophysical data to discover them.”
As part of the GEMx mission, the ER-2 aircraft, equipped with special sensors, will fly at an altitude of 65,000 feet to collect hyperspectral images. These images include not only visible light, but also infrared and thermal radiation, allowing researchers to see “the geophysical complexity behind seemingly simple or monochromatic surfaces.”
The ultimate goal of the mission is national security, to reduce US dependence on foreign mineral supplies for the production of electronics used in both civilian, dual-use, and military applications.
The US administration is prioritizing expanding domestic supplies with an executive order in 2021 aimed at reducing “overreliance on foreign and adversarial sources for critical minerals and materials that pose economic and national security threats”.
China has now invested heavily to dominate the market for these minerals. According to a 2022 US report, “globally, China has largely controlled the mining and processing of cobalt, lithium, rare earths, and other strategic minerals.”
The GEMx project is expected to cost at least $16 million and last until mid-2026.
(according to Securitylab)
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